By Jude Zoho
Some Nigerian pilgrims participating in this year’s pilgrimage to Israel, have commended the Nigerian Christian Pilgrim Commission (NCPC) for the new feeding arrangement made for pilgrims.
They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Nazareth that the tour operators also deserved commendation for the development.
They said that though it was difficult to initiate and sustain the arrangement, efforts should be made to ensure that quality was not compromised.
NAN reports that under the new arrangement, Nigerian pilgrims are served at least two rations of local delicacies during their 10-day stay in Israel.
It would be recalled that the NCPC promised to increase the ration of Nigerian dishes served to pilgrims in Israel.
Mr Peter Abayomi, a self-sponsored pilgrim from the FCT, said that the arrangement was encouraging as it would reduce the rate of complaints by pilgrims.
He said that the pilgrims were appreciative of the new arrangement, noting that it would make them more comfortable in terms of feeding in the holy land.
Abayomi’s collegaue, Mrs Nkechi Opara, told NAN that with the new arrangement, she could afford to stay away from home for more than a week.
Mr Nelson Jonah, also a self-sponsored pilgrim from Kaduna State, said that it was not enough to increase the ration of Nigerian dishes from one in 10 days to two.
He said the authorities should ensure that the quality of food served was not compromised under any circumstances.
Mr Wisam Tabar, the founder of Tabar Tours, a Nazareth-based tour operator, told NAN that the company would make efforts to sustain the new arrangement and even surpass it.
Mrs Aisha Kadiri, one of the two Nigerian chefs employed by the company, told NAN that the company “has improved on the Nigerian dishes it serves pilgrims’’.
